Frame for wire mesh fabric



March 15, 1938. c. J. HOFFMAN 2,111,448

FRAME FOR WIRE MEFH FABRIC I Filed sept. 17, 1935 frzcrzzzarf- Patented Mar. 1,715,51938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEV rnAME Foa n MEsn rare Charles J. Hoffman, York, Pa. .Application september 1 7, 1935, serial No. 40,970-

3Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in i frames of the type used for forming rigid panels from Woven or other wire fabric, expanded or perforated metal, or from metal sheets or other sheet materials of rigid or semi-rigid nature, and a principal object of the invention is to provide a frame of this character that shall be characterized'by simplicity of form, relatively high efiiciency and ornamental appearance.

Another object ofv the invention is to provide a. frame in which the wire mesh or other material may be securely confined without the requirement for rivets, bolts or extrafsecuring elements.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a frame of novel form facilitating and reducing the cost of the operations o'f constructing the panel.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a basic frame element adapted to interlock eiiciently with the Wire mesh or other material in such manner that the interlocking grip increases in efficiency with any pressure imposed upon the wire or other material tending 'to draw the latter from the frame.

Still another object is to provide a frame that 1 shall be highly adaptable'to different characters of panel, as hereinafter set forth. f

In the attached drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a portion of apanel made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view showing a completed panel; I

Fig. 4 isa view in perspective of a modified form of corner plate within the scope of my invention;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views showing modiiied forms of the basic frame element;

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary faceviews of the elements shown respectively in Figs. 5 and 6, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmentary sectional views illustrating, respectively, the mode of operation of the frame elements shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

With reference to the drawing, the frame comprises a basic element in the ,form of a hollow bar l preferably of rectangular cross section. This bar, which can conveniently be made of metal, is divided longitudinally in one face, and the portions 2 of the bar adjoining the split are turned inwardly at an angle. The bar may be fio made in stock lengths and divided longitudinally in sections of the various lengths required for panels of different sizes.

The space between the free edges of the inturned portions 2 is dimensioned to receive the wiremesh or other panel material, as shownin Figs. l and 2, and so that the said edges of the portions 2 will bear snugly against the opposite sides of the said material. By reason of the resiliency of the material of which the bar is formed,

the receiving slot may be made somewhat smaller than the eiective thickness of the'panel material, and the resiliency affords a certain leeway for accommodation of diierent thicknesses.

While the bar may be used with materials of various characters, it is well adapted for use with tending to withdraw the mesh from the frame,

except in a direction longitudinally of the latter, will have a tendency to draw the free edges of the Aportions 2 vof the frame bar`together, thereby causing them to bind more securely against the opposite sides of the wire fabric. It accordingly is unnecessary with a frame constructed in vaccordance with my invention to employ any extra means such as rivets or welding to hold the wire fabric in the frame, and `the assembling operation is, therefore, materiallysimplified and the cost thereof reduced. i

In producing a simple panel using the afore- 'described frame elements, the wire fabric is cut to size and four sections of the bar stock Il are interlocked with the edges of the fabric by passing the fabric longitudinally into the slot between the portions 2, 2. This brings the frame bars 'I into abutment, and the bars are then united by means of corner plates 3. The plates 3 are of angular form to conform with the angle between the adjoining ends of the bars l and embrace the side faces of the adjoining bars and the surfaces of the latter extending inwardly to the outer edges of the inturne'd portions 2. Each of the plates 3 is also provided at its inner edge with a ange d, which in assembly lies more or less snugly against the face of the wire fabric-and which not only improves the appearance of the panel but which also functionsv as a strut to reinforce the corners of the frame. -Preferably and as illustrated, two of these plates 3 are/used at each corner of the frame and at opposite sides thereof,

and they are united to the bars l and to each other preferably by means of rivets 5 which may extend completely through the bars I, as shown in Fig. 2. In this manner, a rigid frame of great strength is afforded in which the Wire fabric is securely clamped.

The frame construction described above is highly adaptable to the production of many different types of panel and presents a highly desirable and finished appearance. In Fig. 3, I have illustrated a panel of which the upper portion 6 consists of the wire mesh, while the lower portion 'I is composed of a solid sheet of metal or other suitable material. This sheet is confined in the frame in the same manner as the Wire fabric and as described above. 8 in this case extend continuously from the top of the panel to the bottom, and four cross bars 9 are employed secured to the members 8 by corner plates as described. It is obvious that in a construction such as this, the intermediate angle plates 3 may be replaced by plates 3a of the general form illustrated in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a modification of the basic frame element shown in Fig. 1. This element is adapted primarily for use with panel sheets of perforated metal. The frame element Ia is constructed on essentially the same princlple as the element I previously described, but in this case the lip portions 2a are provided with more or less intermeshing teeth III which in as-A sembly and as shown in Fig. 9 are adapted to project into the perforations II of the perforated sheet I2, thereby interlocking the frame with the perforated panel sheet.

A somewhat similar embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 6, 8'and 10. In this case, the lips 2b of the frame element Ib are provided with series of small 'teeth I3 which in assembly and as shown in Fig. 10 are adapted to interlockingly engage the panel material I4. This form of frame element is adapted primarily for use with solid panel materials of the composition or plaster-board type.

It will be apparent that the frame elements shown in Figs. 5 and 6 embodythe same basic principle as that disclosed in Fig. 1, and there may be still further modifications without departure from this principle.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, ahollow sheet metal frame member of box section. said metal being inherently resilient and of a gauge The side frame pieces I animee conferring substantial rigidity upon said meinber, said member being slotted longitudinally in one face thereof and the metal adjoining each side of the slot being turned inwardly at an angle to the normal plane of the slotted face and forming angularly converging lips the free edges of which define the sides of the slot, said lips being adapted to engage at their free edges the oppositefaces of a panel member inserted in the slot and being adapted when said panel member is placed under tension at the center to flex toward each other and to thereby clamp the panel with increasing pressure in proportion to the degree of said tension.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a hollow frame member adapted for assembly in end to end relation with hollow membersof like form to produce said frame, said member having in the wall thereof a slot extending continuously from one end of said member to the other for reception of a mesh or other panel element, the porf-tions of said wall adjoining the opposite sides of said slot extending convergently inward and at an angle to each other so that their free edges dene the relatively narrow mouth of the slot and so that the contact between said member and thev panel element may be restricted substantially to said edges, said member ybeing substantially rigid and being composed of a material having suicient inherent resilience to permit the said convergent portions to bear resiliently at their said freeedges against the opposite sides of said panel element and to ex toward each other when the panel element is placed under tension to thereby increase the bearing pressure of said free edgesagainst the panel element.

3. In a frame, a side member having a longitudinal slot for reception of an edge portion of a panel element, the portions of said member adjoining the opposite sides of said slot each extending rearwardly from the normal face of the member and forming angularly convergent lips, the free edges of which define the sides of the 'slot,

A said lips being adapted to engage at their free edges the opposite faces of the panel element and being adapted when said element is placed under tension at the center to flex toward each other and to thereby clamp the panel with increasing pressure in proportion to the degree of said tension. f

CHARLES J. HOFFMAN. 

